1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improved food composition having stable natural colors and flavors, to methods of retarding loss of flavor and color and to methods for preventing the generation of unpleasant colors and flavors during storage of foods. More particularly, the invention relates to retardation of color and flavor loss and the prevention of the production of unpleasant flavors and colors in dry food ingredient blends.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Loss of flavor and color in some foods during storage is a prevalent problem throughout the food industry. Faded colors, although not necessarily reflecting poor quality in terms of taste or nutrition, impart less aesthetic appeal and can greatly affect product sales. Such flavor loss or color fading frequently is the result of photo-oxidation upon exposure to light. Similarly, many nutritious foods can acquire unpleasant or unnatural flavors or colors during storage, which can make foods unpleasant to consume. In foods containing a large amount of liquid, such as pourable emulsion food systems (i.e., salad dressings), industry practice has been to add small amounts of antioxidants or chelating agents. Two commonly used antioxidants are butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Both are effective, particularly when used together to take advantage of their synergistic effect. A commonly used chelating agent is calcium disodium EDTA (ethylenediamine tetraacetate). Yeasts, which are known to possess antioxidant properties, have also been included in many such formulations and probably inherently serve to stabilize colors and flavors in such liquid systems even though the yeasts are included for different purposes.
The use of antioxidants and chelating agents in dry blends, however, has not always been successful. This may in part be due to the fact that the levels allowed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are commonly insufficient to be generally effective.
Complete dry blends of ingredients including sugar, salts, spices, flavors and colorants combined with dehydrated vegetable portions can be purchased for the commercial production of foods. The dry blends packaged in convenient large unit sizes result in labor savings to the food processor since the scaling or portioning of each individual ingredient is left to efficient specialists called seasoning blenders. These seasoning blenders prepare unit packages by the pallet load and shipment is made from the blender's warehouse to that of the food processors. The seasoning blender prepares relatively large batches to increase his efficiency and the food processor purchases the material by the truck or car load to minimize freight costs. The processor then warehouses his purchased blend until required for use. The resultant total storage time for the food blend can be several weeks or more with the result that color and flavor change is a constant problem.
For example, oleoresin paprika or oleoresin celery is a widely used food color or flavor in dry blends. Dextrose crystals are commonly used as a carrier, as is salt, sucrose, monosodium glutamate, and other solids compatible in food systems to which the color and flavor additives will adhere. The natural appearance and taste of natural colors and flavors begin to degrade upon incorporation into the total seasoning blend. Consequently, the seasoning blender has difficulty in insuring the food processor that his finished product will have uniform color and flavor. Antioxidants and chelating agents have commonly been employed to protect the color and flavor of such products as oleoresin paprika and oleoresin celery in dry seasoning blends but their effectiveness has not been uniformly satisfactory. Clearly there exists a need for an additive for dry blends that will effectively reduce flavor or color loss of a variety of vegetative additives.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a method for retarding color loss of dry blends containing vegetative additive extracts.
It is a further object of this invention to retard color or flavor loss of dry blends containing oleoresin flavor, a flavor oil, or a color additive.
These and other objects will become apparent from the remainder of this specification and claims.